//------------------------------// // XII. // Story: Steel Blade! // by Alsvid //------------------------------// A small detachment of the Triarii Knights had been posted as gate guards; Sir Michael himself had given the order for them to patrol the main gates of the fortification being raised around the Professor’s house. They stood at opposite ends of the unfinished gate, decked out in their heavy blue-and-gold tinted steel plate armor, bearing their spears and shields. Amidst the shouts, clamor, and general uproar in the courtyard, one of the Triarii gave the crowd a quick look over her shoulder. “Well, they’re certainly having fun,” she remarked dryly, fluttering her enormous wings. “Huh! Glad someone is. They call this a garrison?” scoffed the other Triarius on the opposite end of the gate, hefting her shield. They continued to watch the streets ahead of them. The noise of the crowd behind them in the courtyard diminished as Leo put Gloria flat on her face, and sent her packing to the field hospital. The Triarius on the right leaned on her shield, sighing contentedly. “Ahhhh. Peace at last.” The hammering and banging and clatter of the Auxiliari Architecti resumed. The Triarius allowed herself a muttered curse, and said, “Spoke too bloody soon.” “Too right you did. I have the feeling it’s going to be somewhat of a long day,” agreed the other Triarius. “If the situation is as dire as Sir Michael implies, we shall probably have to form a vanguard when Professor Deborah makes for the castle. That could get messy fast if the Vampire Bats send some of their force to ambush us. I hope those mercenaries know what they’re doing, or we might as well not have them protecting us at all.” “Wait a sec. Do you hear that?” One of the Triarii lifted her head, looking this way and that. “I don’t hear anything,” the other Triarius confessed. She waited a few moments, then tilted her head to the side. “Sounds like…music?” “Look at that.” Another Triarius walked over to the front of the gate, pointing at the street before them. “I just saw the sun glinting off something in the distance. Say about 300 yards, directly in front of us, approaching at a high rate of speed.” The Triarius at the right hand of the gate raised her spear. “Close ranks! Form line!” The Pegasus Triarii Knights hastened to obey; their heavy, steel-shod hooves crashing down upon the ground, armor plates slamming against each other with ringing, bell-like clashes and clangs as they pressed their shoulders against each other, digging their hooves into the ground firmly, their shields meeting end-over-end with firm, deep ‘thuds’. Nosing through Canterlot’s city streets is a huge, long, low-slung classic muscle car – slab-sided, two-door, with what seems like nearly a mile of hood length, and an equally long, cavernous trunk, a fierce chrome grill like a snarling mouth full of metal teeth. The car’s body is painted black, with a custom hood ornament, wrought in bright steel, of a bird with its wings spread, talons outstretched, the roof covered in ornamental black leather. Its wheels are decked out in bright chrome rims. It’s a Ford Thunderbird from the 1972 model year, its huge 429 cu in (7.0 L) 385 V8 engine juddering, roaring, making the car’s hood vibrate steadily, gasoline exhaust fumes wafting from the trembling exhaust tip. Loud, high-energy HI-NRG-influenced electronic dance music with a high BPM count throbs and booms from the interior of the car, its sound system turned to maximum volume. Some of the ponies in the Canterlot city street cannot help but stare curiously at the car rolling past them, others scowling irritably, The car rolls up to the Triarii guarding the Professor’s gates, and instantly the Triarii form a circle around the car, every single spear aimed for the car’s cabin. The driver shuts the car off; abruptly, both the music and the heavy engine note cease. The driver’s side door swings open. A zebra mare steps out of the driver’s seat, young, obviously about eighteen or nineteen years old, her mane combed away from her skull in a large, fluffy, black-and-white afro, forming a perfect sphere around her head. Her face is gently rounded, with a stubby, short muzzle, a blunt, flat nose, and large, plush lips bearing the vaguest hint of an irreverent smirk. She’s wearing large, mirrored black sunglasses, the tips of her equine ears pierced with gold rings. She has wide, strong shoulders, a slender neck, and large, heavy, round breasts thrusting out at the front of her skin-tight black-and-red bodysuit; the stretchy fabric of the suit clings to the swells of her round breasts, lifting and squeezing the large globes together. Her waist is slender, her belly firm and flat. Her hips are wide and lush, her thighs broad, soft, pillowy, inviting to the touch, her glossy white-and-black tail swaying this way and that above the gigantic globes of her round, juicy rump, the soft, pliable half-moons pulling the black-and-red fabric of her bodysuit quite taut, allowing one to observe the enticing curves of her rump clearly. She’s wearing the usual black leather military boots favored by the mercenaries in Leo’s company. The aroma of sandalwood incense, violets, and massage oil clings to her, along with the alluring scent of young, supple, female Zebra flesh. As she approaches the gates, one of the Pegasus Triarii Knights stands to block her path. “No further, miss. State your name and business.” The Zebra mare snorted, and placed her hands on her hips, ears pinning back irritably against her skull. “Don’t be a bloody fool, m’dear. Can’t you see my uniform? Can’t you see the ponies I’ve got with me? I’m part of the Mercenary Company attached to your outfit. Why are you wasting valuable time on this comedy show? Every second we spend here, engrossed in idle chit-chat, that Vampire Bat Countess is growing in power.” She had a clear, ringing, bell-like voice. “How do you know about that?” the Pegasus mare Triarius demanded. “Oh, I know a lot of things. It’s kind of my job, you know,” the Zebra mare stated airily, waving a hand airily at the Triarius. “Fine, I’ll oblige you. My name’s Alsvid and I’m here to report in to Professor Deborah of Canterlot University, Sir Michael of the Princess Celestia’s Own Pegasus Triarii detachment, and the mercenary Commander Leo. I also know your name, Centurion Valeria, Leader of the Second Century of the First Maniple of the Pegasus Triarii.” She took off her sunglasses with one hand, snapping them closed expertly with a tiny flick of her wrist, revealing two brilliant green eyes like glittering emeralds, flecked with a faint blueish tinge. “Sir Michael isn’t here right now,” Centurion Valeria declared. Having been put out by Alsvid’s control over the situation, she settled for a loft, detached, disdainful attitude. “Thought so,” Alsvid said. “I figured it was worth a shot, anyway. Now step aside and let me see the man I love.” At that exact moment, Jennever Windup, the crossbow mercenary captain in Leo’s company, ran up to the gates, clutching a stitch in her side with one hand. “Let…her through,” she puffed, the green-maned Earth pony mare breathing hard. She bent over, placing her hands on her knees, ears pinned back against her skull, sweat rolling down her brows, her breasts rising and falling as she sucked in air, her mane plastered to her forehead with perspiration. “Leo and the Professor are….expecting her. You’ll…you’ll regret it if you don’t let her in…” she panted. Alsvid slapped her on the back, appreciatively. “Jolly good show, matey. Go on. Off with you.” Jennever spent a few moments catching her breath, and then saluted Alsvid in the style of the Mercenary Company, slamming a fist against her chest. “It shall be done!” Alsvid returned the salute, spreading her legs, shoulders well apart, knees straight, one arm folded behind her back, the other coiled against her chest, fist raised over where her heart would be located in her ribcage. Jennever took off running back towards the camp. “What does that mean?” Centurion Valeria asked Alsvid, as they watched Jennever sprinting back towards the main body of the fortification. “What does what mean?” Alsvid placed her sunglasses back on her nose. “That salute you mercenaries do. That thing with the closed fist over one’s heart. What does that signify?” Alsvid ran a hand through her big, fluffy white-and-black afro, leaning on the side of her car. “Glad you asked. It’s very simple in its meaning, matey; it symbolizes our willingness to give the very flesh of our hearts over in service to Commander Leo. That’s what that means. We will stop at nothing to fulfill our duties to him! We are sworn to obey every order he issues for us. Excuse me a moment…I’d better let my associates know they can get out of the car now.” She strode over to the car window, rapping her fist on the door. “Titanium! Jade! Come over here and say hello to the nice Centurion. The doors swung open again, and two Unicorn mares exited the vehicle; Titanium, who was a short, silver-coated, white-maned young mare; probably the same age as Alsvid, with a chubby frame and a plump face that made her look much younger than she really was; her short height added to this effect, as did her choice of clothes; a ripped, worn purple armless vest, exposing her bare, chubby little arms, and tight black leggings, with white boots. Her hair fell in a messy mane around her shoulders and neck, covering one of her eyes. A whip hung off a belt tied around her plump little waist. The other mare, Jade, was also quite short, but her dark-green coated frame was much thinner; her light green mane was sharply styled in an isolesces triangle shape, pointing skyward. She wore an armless v-neck green bodysuit and green leather boots, and was grinning in barely contained amusement at the Centurion. “Morning, loser,” Titanium, the fat silver-coated unicorn mare said, folding her arms behind her head and glaring at the Pegasus mare Centurion insolently. She had a coarse, gruff voice for such a young mare. Alsvid ruffled Titanium’s mane amusedly. “At least try to be nice, ‘Tania. We don’t want to hurt her feelings.” “Quite right,” Jade, the green-maned, green-coated Unicorn made said, importantly. “I’m Jade, subordinate to Alsvid. How are you today? You look well! I suppose you’ve already had your breakfast? I haven’t! I’m ruddy well starved, I tell you! I wonder when lunch will be served? I can’t wait to see what kind of grub they’ve got in this place. Have you heard about those Vampire Bats? Dreadful, absolutely dreadful! I hope we can contain them eventually, or it’ll get ugly fast. Truth be told I think things are already getting ugly if it’s come to this. Just think, all sorts of supernatural monsters are running around Canterlot City unchecked! It’s enough to make your blood run cold…” Jade spoke at a breathless, breakneck speed, barely allowing the Pegasus Triarii Centurion a word in edgewise. She had a high, squeaky, piping voice. The big Pegasus mare rested her shield upon the ground, rubbing the back of her neck with one heavily armored hand. “Er…yes, quite,” she muttered, not following at all, but she valorously pretended that she understood the torrent of words coming from Jade. “Anyway! You’ll have to tell me all about your knightly adventures when we get inside,” Jade continued. “I’ve never seen a real Triarius Knight before! What do you guys do all day when you’re not questing and adventuring on the Princess’s business? Do you get breaks on the holidays, or…” Jade was interrupted by the Professor, who was hotly pursued by Leo and the rest of her retinue. The silver-haired Pegasus mare looked positively furious; she strode up to Alsvid and planted her hands on her hips, glaring at the Zebra mare. “You certainly took your time coming! Must you always arrive fashionably late? I have never known you to do anything that did not engender a great deal of waiting! Honestly, it's like you enjoy keeping others in suspense!"